British official in secret meeting to 'reassure' Hamas

THE Foreign Office has been forced to deny its meeting with Hamas officials broke the long-standing commitment not to negotiate with terrorists, just hours before Sir Keir Starmer was due to announce recognition of a Palestinian state.

- By Richard Ashmore

Foreign Office]”. This could imply that the designation would not change UK relations with Hamas in Gaza.

The armed wing of Hamas has been a proscribed organisation since 2001 and this was extended in November 2021 to include the entire group.

Hamas terrorists carried out the October 7 atrocity in 2023 against Israel, provoking the current conflict in Gaza.

New documents seen by the Daily Express could prove embarrassing for the Prime Minister as they appear to show that a UK staff member met the terrorist organisation in February 2022 to “reassure” it after the British Government had extended the Hamas terror proscription.

The Foreign Office called it a summons that could not be ignored.